Gear shift for automobiles



Aug. 22, 1933. BENNETT 1,923,905

GEAR SHIFT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Oct. 6, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l amnion Aug. 22, 1933. G, E. BENNETT 1,923,905

' GEAR SHIFT FOR AUTOMQBILES Filed Oct. 6, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuentoz Patented Aug. 22, 1933 UNITED STATES GEAR SHIFT FOR AUTOMOBILES George E. Bennett, Middle Grove, Application October 6, 1932. Serial No. 636

" 2 Claims. (01. Ti -39) this said portion is This invention pertains to improvements in gear shifting mechanism for automobile transmissions.

An object. of thelinventionis to provideat -and above the steering wheel the shifting-lever for the gears of the transmission and thus replace the usual commonly used-shifting-l'ever in the floor of the car-to the end that the space'forward of the drivers seat will be unobstructed; that the I ooperator will not be required to exert himself in reaching for such usually placed lever; and that by'the use of my-arrangement the shifting act can be accomplished more quickly.

Further, an 'object is to provide an arrange- ;-mentforgear' shifting that can be readily and easily'installed' in any car without change in the'latter or in the steering column onwhich my structure is mounted. v v

still further objectis to provide anew ar' 2o-rangement at the steering wheel with'wh ich the conventional gear shift movements may be used;

a wi'tli' perfect'easeand accurale y --*tl'i"'appended' drawingsI have shown my joved g 'ar shift mechanism in its preferred farm-wher in; I "'Figurfl is alongitudinalsectional eleYation of the steering column 'Ofa car with' my mechanism i Figure 2";i a side'elevation of a two-part shellstructure shownfin-Figure l as iit'would" be seen by-a' erson standing at the right side 0f the car.

\ FigureB'is'a transverse section of the steering postproduced on line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing ashifting-IeVer in connection therewith. f Y

Figure 5" is"arear-elevatioKof the shell-structure of Figures 1-and'2 showing the shifting-lever,

Figures 6- and 7 are respectively an celgavation 1 and plan'tof um'c'ient-struetur'e of "th sion u toi show theiion e6 therewith.

Fi'g'ii'i' e f th refi-e part of the usual steering post approximately full size enclosed by the customary tubular column 2 mounted on the car in the usual Way, but not so shown, While 3 is the steering-wheel affixed to said post 1.

Installed on this conventional arrangement is the mechanism of my invention which comprises, first, a length of tubing 4 placed within the tubular post 1 to work in a smooth turning fit. Affixed in any suitable manner to the upper end of the tubing is a shell-portion 5. Surmounting e nsm 'tate about the tube;: being by 5 and that forthe port'on 6 b" 6' me 2, and in Figur Figure 4"is-a transverse section of parts taken ncenumeral 1 designates secured to the end oftatube 'lsnugly'fitt the tubing 4 and g 1, through he floor of the e e open upper endof the tube the usual horn-button} of which is not illustrated,

Surrounding the tube 7 within" the tions 5, 6 is a sleeve 9 Figure 4, havin extending studs for a"shifting-lever 10;]sa d s ing therealong by an sary to describein the shell-portions ma and at each side o 1th has a notch, that forthe noted thatthe shift t e i g us P ud; dimensions"th at it being; shown in th convenience in ope directly from the righ de substantially paralle urem'entif 'When stated above, orjtv register; Figure 2. the tubing 4 is an arm one side of vthe car' imparted to either of the tubes 4, '7 by means of the shifting-lever 10 any desired shift in the gears of the transmissionis possible. As heretofore noted the shell-portions 5 and 6 are sepa-,

rately fixed to the tubes 4, '7 while the lever 10 is free to have rotative movement without respect to them.

An advantage of my arrangement is that the conventional shift is employed and that the movement of the said lever may be in accord with the usual lever arising from the floor of the car, the plane of shifting movement of said lever 10 being a substantially horizontal one instead of a vertical one. Raising the lever from the neutral position into the notch 6' and moving it forward will rotate the shell 6 and its tube 7 and shift the transmission gearing into reverse. Drawing the lever rearwardly while in the notch 6' places the gears in low. Again, by dropping the lever into the notch 5' and moving it forward results in second", and by moving it to the rear high is eflected.

Since the lever 10 is placed ready at hand at the steeringwheel quicker action is possible due to its location in front of the operator who is not required to change his position in making the shift as heretofore. The two shell portions 5, 6 as provided present an ornamental appearance but from a practical standpoint they constitute, in

position and the said button replaced, finding its position on the tube 7. Further the structure itself is not complicated in any way, nor does it require expensive parts, or require expensive maehining in its production.

Although a specific arrangement has .been shown for mounting the tubes 4 and 7, as well as a specific form of the shell-portions 5 and 6 it is to be clearly understood that changes may be made within the meaning of the invention and the appended claims.

However, the said shell portions 5 and 6 together form a closed hollow body and abut each other thereby enclosing the'upper portion of the tube 7 and the pivoted inner end of the lever 10 thus creating an attractive finish for the steering column above the wheel 3 besides forming a practically tight enclosure for the operating parts with, including the terminal of said tube '7 where it bears upon the tube 4 thereby excluding dust to a great extent. The arrangement is most simple, too, from the fact that since each shell portion 5, 6 is provided with its notch 5', 6, respectively, they form the only guides necessary for the lever 10 in the shifting movements thereof, and that when said lever is shifted while in the notch of one shell the edge of the opposite shell closes I said notch so that said lever is positively imprisoned and cannot be moved on its pivot on the sleeve 9 until both notches are brought into register. clashing-of gears and damage thereto is thus wholly impossible. Otherwise stated, the abutting edges of the shells themselves flx the lever so that it can be moved in but one plane while in a position other than a neutral position or when the notches coincide or register.

I claim:

1. In combination with the tubular steering post and the shifting gears of an automobile, a pair of members within and extending axially of v said post, each member having operative connection with one of the said gears, a separate shell portion aflixed to each'of the members, the two portions being inverted one upon the other and substantially abutting at their edges, adapted for rotation relative to each other and together forming an enclosure, each shell portion having a notch in its edge arranged to register one with the other, the edge of one shell portion closing the notch of the other portion in certain positions of the portions relatively, and a lever mounted at one end within and havingfree movement with respect to the shell portions and extending outside the same adapted to rotate one or the other of them by engagement in the notch thereof, the edge of one shell portion forming a retaining guide for said lever when the latter is in the notch of the other shell portion.

2. The combination with the steering column of an automobile and the gears of the gear shifting mechanism, of a pair of members one within the other, both being coaxial with the axis of the steering column, the end of oneof the members extending beyond the end of the other and each having operative engagement with one of the gears, a pair of shell portions, inverted one upon the other and lying substantially in abutting relation at their edges creating an enclosure, each shell portion being affixed to one of the said members and rotatable with respect to each other, each shell having a notch therein opening upon the edge of the other, and a lever pivotally mounted within the shells and free to swing in two planes at right angles to each other and in planes paralleling each other, said lever extending through the abutting portions of the shells 

